The new Tipper EP is here. Of course Flunked is amazing.

Published: January 4, 2017

By: Anand Harsh

It's almost as though Dave Tipper were telling us, “Fear not, the dreaded year 2016 is behind us, and this new one is going to be a helluva lot better.”

Kicking off 2017 with the release of the Flunked EP is exactly what the doctor ordered deep in these wintry depths. Four tracks of glitchy goodness hit fans right in the speakers, and already our thoughts drift off to summer nights with these sounds filling our heads.

Fans who hit the Fillmore back in October got a taste of the opening title track, which like the second tune, “Usul,” both explore the Halftime drum & bass trend, albeit from different directions. “Flunked” eventually settles into a wonky hip-hop hook, whereas “Usul” rockets directly into pure drum and bass madness. Is this Tipper's way of telling us that D&B will indeed have its day, once again, in 2017?

“Bilirubin” satisfies fans of the Godfather of Glitch-hop with the good stuff they so desire. Throwing it right down the pipe, this one saunters down subsonic row with a barrel full of bass and a carefree attitude. Classic Tipper right there.

We got a taste of EP closer “Virga” last week, lush, symphonic, and uplifting soundscape that not only ties this collection of new music up with a bow, but excites us for more downtempo material and puts us in the right headspace to face the long winter months ahead in a world filled with turmoil with a smile and a dodgy little feeling called hope.

One of those embers that can fan hope into full-blown joy is summer festival season. The EP comes days after Tipper's New Year's Eve set at the inaugural SNOWTA celebration in Minneapolis, and with the big Noctural Edition of Tipper & Friends at Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, Florida coming up in May. While that appears to be the only date on the calendar for 2017, we urge fans to keep their eyes out on more festival dates getting added in the very near future.